About this role
Job SummaryVeteran's preference does not apply to DHA recruitment. Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. The primary purpose of this position is to provides technical and professional engineering expertise for the test planning, provisioning, conduct, evaluation, and reporting of open air, installed vehicle, system integration laboratory, and hardware-in-the-loop tests of air vehicles.
QualificationsExperience requirements are described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional Engineering Positions, located here. BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.ORB. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1 , or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. 3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. 4. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.) In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower broadband NH-02, equivalent to the next lower grade GS-11 or equivalent in other pay systems. Specialized experience is experience described as supporting the organization in general engineering assignments concerning Science and Engineering: early involvement of new development of weapon system capabilities and programs; technical support and applying engineering/programmatic knowledge within test and evaluation policy and practices. NOTE: Due to the use of 120-day rosters, this period of experience may be completed within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement. Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate is a highly skilled test engineer with strong expertise in flight test planning, system integration, and air vehicle testing across open-air, installed vehicle, SIL, and HWIL environments. They excel at developing and executing comprehensive test strategies-including TEMPs, test plans, and test cards-while serving as an integrated member of a Combined Test Force and, when required, as flight test aircrew. This candidate demonstrates strong leadership in coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams, ensuring technical rigor, safety, and mission effectiveness throughout all test phases. They are adept at interpreting test philosophy, managing technical risks, guiding program reviews, and communicating complex results to senior leadership through clear reports and briefings. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of advanced concepts, principles, and techniques across multiple inter-related and integrated technical and test engineering disciplines. Knowledge of combat aircraft avionics, armament, radar, sensor, survivability, or electronic warfare systems or related systems and subsystems. Knowledge of flight and laboratory air vehicles/missile test conduct, coordination, and supervision, data analysis/evaluation and applicable flight test truth sources, modeling/simulation, technical report preparation, and administrative aspects of flight test programs. Ability to plan and organize work, coordinate between various electronic/aerospace/mechanical engineering and test disciplines, and coordinate with other Air Force, DOD, and other domestic and foreign government agencies. Ability to research, analyze, interpret, and apply rules, regulations, and procedures to a variety of situations and to recommend timely and economical solutions. Ability to maintain good working relations; provide project management oversight; and provide technical direction, leadership and training to matrixed engineers. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Major DutiesServes as Combined Test Force (CTF) Participant in the development of the overall plans such as the Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP), Test Plan (TP), Test Cards, and other management and technical documents. Formulates, directs, interprets, and applies test planning and test philosophy and policy for the organization to ensure technical validity, efficiency, safety, and credibility in test and evaluation of the weapon system and subsystems. Incumbent is responsible for implementing and executing an integrated approach to test activities. Develops and/or presents engineering and program review reports, and conducts briefings to local and higher-level command officials and domestic dignitaries, as required.